Odisha Man Who Carried Skeleton To Bank Finally Gets Sister’s Deposits

Jitu Munda, a resident of Dianali village under Patana block in Keonjhar district, had been struggling for days to withdraw Rs 19,402 from the account of his late sister, Kalara Munda, who passed away in January this year. His repeated visits to the local rural bank at Maliposi allegedly yielded no results, with officials citing procedural requirements.

Frustrated and reportedly unaware of the formalities involved in accessing a deceased person’s bank account, Munda took the extreme step of exhuming his sister’s remains. On Monday, he carried the skeleton to the bank premises and placed it outside, triggering panic among staff and locals.

The shocking visuals quickly went viral, drawing widespread public criticism over the insensitivity of the system towards vulnerable communities. Acting swiftly, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed local authorities and bank officials to resolve the matter.

Following this, the amount was released to Munda in the presence of local officials on Tuesday. Sources said issues related to documentation, including the absence of a death certificate, had caused the delay. The matter was resolved after a report from the local tehsildar facilitated the process.

Police from Patana station reached the bank on Monday, pacified Munda and dispersed the crowd. The skeletal remains were later taken back to the village and reburied in accordance with local customs.

Munda alleged that he had not been properly guided by bank officials despite multiple visits. Local residents termed the episode both tragic and avoidable, stressing the need for greater sensitivity in dealing with tribal and rural populations.

“This could have been prevented had the procedures been clearly explained,” said a local resident, underscoring the communication gap that led to the incident.